8A | WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2019 | COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL
OREGON TRAIL
LACEMAKERS
Saturday, December 21, 2019
We meet monthly to make lace by hand, especially but
not only bobbin laces. Self-paced classes available. Guests
are welcome to drop in on Third Saturdays, between
10am-1pm at Willamette Oaks Retirement Living (455
Alexander Loop, north of Valley River Center in Eugene)
Contact: 541-484-1180 and facebook.com/groups/ore-
gontraillacemakers/.
Lessen the Risk of Strokes
The risks of experiencing a life-threaten-
ing stroke increases with age.
In fact, the National Center for Biotech-
nology Information estimates that 70% of
victims are aged 65 or older. While the risks
associated with age are out of your control,
there are numerous lifestyle changes you
can make to lessen your chances of expe-
riencing one.
Do you know the signs that you or a
loved one is suffering from a stroke? The
National Institutes on Aging encourages us
to become familiar with these symptoms
and call 911 immediately if you are expe-
riencing them:
• Sudden confusion or inability to speak
coherently;
• Numbness or weakness to the head,
arm or leg - especially on one side of the
body;
• Problems seeing in one or both eyes;
and
• Sudden dizziness or a severe headache
occurring with no known cause.
The speed at which you identify a stroke
and receive medical help can greatly im-
pact the lasting effects during recovery.
Lower the Risks
The United States Department
of Health and Human Services
suggests that keeping your blood
pressure in the normal range is
one of the most important steps
to lower your risk of a stroke. Here
are a few more actions they recom-
mend.
Be physical and eat healthy to
maintain a healthy weight. Quit
smoking. Regulate cholesterol and
blood sugar levels and treat condi-
tions of heart disease.
Proactive Health Care
Without regular checkups, it’s
impossible to understand your
stroke risks. Take control of your
health by committing to a proac-
tive routine with your primary
physician. With a few simple tests,
they can discover your likelihood
of an episode and offer tips on how
to resolve the risks.
Harvard Health Publishing says one
such screening, a carotid ultrasound, is
efficient in identifying a buildup of cho-
lesterol-filled plaque in ar-
teries in the neck. These are
the vessels that deliver blood
to the brain and can cause a
stroke once blocked. Doc-
tors may also determine stroke-inducing
heart problems by simply listening with a
stethoscope. They will be watching for ir-
regular rates or rhythms.
Control and Prevention says conditions
like heart disease, sickle-cell disease and
heredity attributing to unhealthy choices,
can all be passed down genetically. Under-
standing your risk due to family history
Learn Family History
can show you the seriousness of your risks
While you can change your lifestyle and improve your efforts to make changes
to promote healthier living, your genet- to maintain your health.
ics may mean you are predisposed to the
risks of a stroke. The Centers for Disease
Why It’s Getting Harder to Live on
Social Security
ALZHEIMER’S AND
y g SUPPORT
p
DEMENTIA
Questions or concerns, call: Linda LaZar (541) 942-0054
1425 Daugherty Ave • Cottage Grove
MEDICARE ENROLLMENT
IS NOW OPEN!
Do you need to Review next years choice?
Call Paul
to help
simplify the
complicated.
541-517-7362
Paul Henrichs ~ Independent Agent
coverage4oregon@gmail.com
It’s now official: Our So-
cial Security increase for
2020 will be 1.6%, or $23.40
for the average senior who
receives benefits. If our
Medicare goes up, that
comes out of the increase.
We all know the Social
Security increases we get
are not enough to keep
pace with rising prices. The
Senior Citizens League did
a study a few years ago that
determined we had fallen
4% behind actual costs in
one year alone. Since 2000
we’ve lost 34% of our buy-
es in “A Basket of Goods”
to calculate what is being
spent and determine the
Consumer Price Index.
It includes food, but also
Just what determines the tracks bedroom furniture,
amount of Social Securi- toys, the cost of education
ty increases? The number and communication.
is called COLA, for cost-
of-living adjustment, and
For over a year now I’ve
the figures are calculated kept a monthly chart of ev-
monthly by the Bureau of ery dime I spend. If I come
Labor Statistics using the home from the store with a
Consumer Price Index for receipt or I pay a utility bill,
Urban Wage Earners and the amount gets noted on
Clerical Workers.
the chart.
The BLS uses the pric-
in September says that over
the past year, overall prices
for urban consumers went
up 1.7 percent. I know my
costs have gone up much
more than that.
How about you? Here’s
some math homework for
you for the next year. Make
a list of the basic items you
buy and the expenses you
have. Write down what
they cost. A year from now
do a comparison and see if
they’ve gone up, and if so,
how much.
The CPI that came out
What We Need for Winter
There are three things we
seniors need to get through
a cold winter: flashlights,
insulated mittens and space
blankets.
Check your battery and
flashlight supply and stock
up on what you need. One
of the big-box stores has
small flashlights, about 4
Heraej=bbkn`]^haHqtqnu
Assisted Living and
Memory Care Apartments
ing power. For example, if
we bought $100 in grocer-
ies back then, today we’d get
only $66 worth.
Our beautiful community is designed
for those who need assistance or have
memory impairments. You can be
assured that you or your loved one
will receive the best in care along with
compassionate personal attention from
our well trained staff.
inches long, for $1, and
they come with three AAA
batteries. (At that price it’s
cheaper to buy new flash-
lights than the batteries that
go in them.) While they
won’t light up your whole
house (20 lumens), they
are small enough to car-
ry in a pocket and get you
from room to room if the
power goes out. Keep a few
of them scattered around
the house: kitchen counter,
S entinel
C ottage G rove
www.cgsentinel.com
Call or stop by for more
information and a personal tour!
We are available
7 days a week!
@
1500 Village Dr., Cottage Grove, OR 97424
T
541-767-0080 www.MiddlefieldOaks.com
dining-room table, night-
stand and right inside the
front door, just in case. That
way you won’t have to feel
your way across the room
to find a light.
Look for insulated mit-
tens instead of gloves. Mit-
tens have the advantage
of keeping your fingers
together and holding in
warmth. Knitted mittens
won’t keep you warm. Be
sure they’re not too big and
that your wrist is covered.
Consider buying one
(or more) of those ther-
mal foil Mylar emergency
space blankets. They look
like large sheets of alumi-
num foil, folded down to a
few inches. When opened,
these blankets are said to
hold in 90% of body heat.
Right now you can get a
pack of two for less than $8
on Amazon, or check the
sporting goods area of your
local big box store. (Be sure
to check the size.) Keep one
in the glove compartment
of your car.
In the event you have a
hard winter, make calls now
to find out where warming
stations will be held in your
town if there is a long pow-
er outage.
Be ready!
cgsentinel
@cgsentinel
#cgsentinel
Cottage-Grove-Sentinel
LTD CONNECTOR
For casual travel within Cottage
Grove
Monday thru Friday
MEDICARE OPEN
ENROLLMENT IS
NOW THRU
DEC 7TH
FOR 2020
Two great services to fit your needs!
Choice Insurance Agency
To book a ride call (541) 942-0456
Fred Owre – Agent/Owner
Door to Door
541.729.8853
Metro & Local
For when time is of the essence
Great for trips with appointment
times.
Email: owre@oip.net
